Agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives helped several law enforcement agencies throughout Ocean County in the four-month investigation. County prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced the arrests made in the case in a news release on Monday, Apr. 15.
Investigators said 28-year-old Kyree Kennedy of Lakewood was using several locations throughout the township to store and sell guns, heroin mixed with fentanyl, and crack cocaine. Kennedy was accused of selling about 59 bricks of the heroin/fentanyl mix and a gun.
Police began surveillance on Kennedy on Thursday, Mar. 28. He was found at a home on Cedar Bridge Avenue and officers executed a search warrant.
Investigators seized about 145 bricks of heroin/fentanyl, a quarter-pound of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and $2,800 in cash. Kennedy and 27-year-old Kammani Wilson were arrested at the home.
On the same day, police executed search warrants on three other homes in Lakewood. They found about 14 grams of crack, drug paraphernalia, a gun silencer, 43 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and $3,800 in cash in a home on River Avenue. Shakira Hill, 36, of Brick Township, was arrested.
Police seized about six grams of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia at a home on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Tymir Bergstrom, 23, of Lakewood, and 31-year-old Tyquan Jones of Whiting were arrested.
Another home on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was searched, and police found about two bricks of heroin and drug paraphernalia. Miguel Gonzales, 54, of Lakewood, was arrested.
Kennedy was charged with possession of more than five ounces of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of more than one-half ounce but less than five ounces of heroin/fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of more than one-half ounce but less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of more than one ounce but less than five pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute more than five ounces of heroin/fentanyl, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm during a controlled dangerous substance offense, certain person not to possess a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, and financial facilitation
Wilson was charged with possession of more than five ounces of heroin with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute more than five ounces of heroin, possession of more than one ounce but less than five pounds of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Hill was charged with possession of more than one-half ounce but less than five ounces of cocaine with intent to distribute, conspiracy to distribute more than five ounces of heroin, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearms suppressor, and financial facilitation.
Jones was charged with possession of less than one-half ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute more than five ounces of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bergstrom was charged with possession of less than one-half ounce of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute more than five ounces of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Gonzales was charged with possession of less than one-half ounce of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of heroin, conspiracy to distribute more than five ounces of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Kennedy was held in the Ocean County Jail and will remain there through his trial. Bergstrom and Gonzalez were processed at the jail and charged via summonses.
Wilson, Hill, and Jones were released on bail.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Lakewood and receive free news updates.